The American Way
by TheOodhugger
Summary: Evangeline Watson, John's American cousin, has breezed onto Baker Street and into the boy's lives. She has made herself comfortable living in apartment 221C and making great friends with her new pathology partner, Molly Hooper. But what is Sherlock to do when he develops, he shudders to think, feelings for her? Avoid them at all costs, of course!
1. Chapter 1

Evangeline stumbled upon a quaint pastry shop that she remembered John telling her he stayed at. 221B Baker Street. Yeah, this is the place. She knocked loudly on the door, holding her side, as if trying to keep her insides where they belonged. She hurt, everywhere, all over her body, she hurt. She looked around, before looking forward again, staring at the wood and connecting the lines within it.

"Oh, hello dear. Have you been standing out there for very long?" An older woman, with massive amounts of purple clothing on, opened the door and asked. She ushered the young red head into the apartment and handed her a cup of some brown liquid, most obviously tea.

Evangeline's eyes darted around the small flat, taking in the smallest of details. She could tell that more than one person lived here, but that was a given. Her British cousin lived here with an apparently crazy flatmate and a motherly landlady, who was standing before her trying to get the the girl's attention. Her attention snapped to the older woman and she blushed in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry. My cousin, John, says he lives here." She replied, biting her lip. "I can pay for my own room, but he says this is the safest place for me right now."

The older woman smiled, "Of course! That won't be a problem. Are these your belongings?"

Evangeline smiled and nodded, looking about the little pastry shop. "Where's John?"

The older woman smiled again, nodding her head towards the stairs. Evangeline took the hint and made her way up, coming to a door across the hall. She bit her lip, but continued on, rapping against the new door. It opened quickly, revealing the blonde man she claimed as her cousin. Smiling, she held her arms wide for a hug, squealing as he picked her up and hugged her tight.

"It's so good to see you, Evan." He gushed, his voice muffled in her hair. Pulling away, he grinned at her and looked her over, before frowning. "Come in and sit. You're favoring your left side. Are you hurt?"

She rolled her eyes, following her cousin into the apartment and plopping herself onto the couch. She hissed in pain as the bruises on her side connected. She bit her lip and grinned at her cousin as his eyes widened in concern.

"It's nothing, John." She brushed him off. "I just fell, like I usually do. Clumsy, remember?"

His eyes narrowed, but he didn't say anything further on it. "Where are you going to stay?"

She bit her lip, "Here, I thought. I was going to rent one of the rooms here. I have plenty of money. Mom set me up for a lifetime, if that's how long I intend to stay here. I have my degree for pathology, maybe I could get a job in a hospital for the mortuary. Maybe as an assistant or something."

He nodded and headed to what she assumed was the kitchen, but there were microscopes and beakers all over the tabletop and counter space. She bit her lip, attempting to refrain from touching. She assumed they weren't John's, because he was avoiding them like the plague. Obviously they were his flatmates and she didn't want to touch something that wasn't hers.

"Who is this?" A bored voice drawled. She spun to face a gorgeous tall man with raven curls and piercing, stormy blue eyes. "Let me guess? John's cousin. American by the way you're carrying yourself. But, oh? What's this? You're favoring your left side, though clearly you're right handed, John must have noticed this when you walked in. You seem tense, as if you're scared of something, you're eyes are darting about, possibly searching for an escape route. You must have either been abused or you're painfully shy."

Evangeline stared at the man, her green eyes wide. "Amazing." She breathed. "You must be Sherlock?"

He gave a sarcastic little smile. "Yes. So which is it? Abused or painfully shy."

She bit her lip and looked down, before replying. "I don't feel comfortable answering this question, Mister Holmes."

"Abused it is. Boyfriend, I assume." He retorted, looking her over. She gasped and looked up, eyes tearful. "No? Father, you don't have one. Died when you were young. So, mother, perhaps?"

"Please. Be quiet." John chastised, making his way to his younger cousin. "What happened, Evan?"

She shook her head, her eyes clearing up as fast as she could get them to. "Nothing, John. Don't listen to him."

She stood and brushed past Sherlock, making her way back downstairs. She smiled at Mrs. Hudson and asked to see 221C, before following the older woman down to the basement. Evangeline looked around and grinned, thinking of all the possibilities in the open floor plan. She turned to Mrs. Hudson and grinned.

"When can I move in?" 


	2. Chapter 2

*A month later*

"Oh, my god." Evangeline gasped, watching as Molly wheeled in a young girl. "I should be accustomed to this, but maybe my mom was right. I am way too sensitive for this line of work."

Molly shook her head. "It is quite sad, isn't it. Poor little girl."

Evangeline nodded and bit her lip as she looked over the battered girl. She took notes and tried to keep from talking out loud to the girl. She'd done it on occasion and had found Molly staring at her. Most of the time she only talked to the abuse victims, because she hated seeing that. But, this girl seemed to be only eleven or twelve and was sitting on a slab in her and Molly's morgue.

"I'm so sorry." She mumbled, biting her thumb, a nervous habit she acquired in her late teens. She watched Molly make the incision, something Evangeline could never do herself. "God, Molly."

"I know, Evangeline. It's awful." She muttered, her eyes not leaving the young girl.

* * *

"Sherlock, be careful what you say around my cousin." John gritted, his teeth clanking together. Ever since Sherlock and Evangeline's first encounter, he's been on edge with the consulting detective. "She's in a fragile state. I mean, she's in a new environment, far away from her mother. She's not well."

Sherlock scoffed at his friend's show of protective emotion. "It has been a month since she moved into 221C. I barely even speak to her unless I'm in the morgue with her and Molly."

John rolled his eyes. "An you're not exactly a basket of good intentions when it comes to Molly. Who knows what could come out of your mouth if Evan means to speak with you."

"Sh-Sherlock!" Molly yelped as he billowed into the morgue. Sherlock rolled his eyes at the mousy, little pathologist, watching as her cheeks turned bright pink. He turned his attention to the red head in the room, her eyes not moving from the small girl on the slab. His brow furrowed as he watched her place two fingers against her lips, before setting them on the child's forehead. He turned away as she moved towards him.

"Oh! Hello, John." She exclaimed, not at all surprised to see him in the morgue again. "Another case?"

He smiled at his young cousin, pulling her into a hug. "Sadly, no. Sherlock is about to drive me up the wall." She giggled and pulled away from him, turning on her heel. "Do you have _anything_ for him?"

She chuckled and peered into the microscope, after bumping Sherlock out of the way, shaking her head. "Sorry. Molly and I only have the one person here. She's over there."

* * *

"Ugh, I'm so ready for bed right about now." Evangeline whined, dragging her arms through her jacket sleeves. "Today has been so long, Mols."

She chuckled and shook her head. "It never helps when Sherlock comes in. He's like a five year old sometimes, I swear."

Evangeline rolled her eyes. "And yet, you are so completely smitten with the man it's ridiculous. But, so cute." She teased, bumping into the small pathologist. "You guys would have such cute babies!"

Molly blushed, "Stop teasing. He would never notice me. He's so mean." She pouted softly, before laughing out loud. "Oh, I sound like a child myself. Maybe we are perfect for one another." Molly shook her head, her hair bouncing around her head in her ponytail.

"Wanna come to my place? We can watch Lord of the Rings and get drunk as we comment on how attractive Aragorn and Legolas are?" Evangeline giggled, already excited by the promise of getting to see her favorite characters. "It'll be fun. We can order Chinese."

She giggled and nodded, before hooking her arm with Evangeline's and they made their way to 221B Baker's street.

* * *

"Oh, my god." Molly giggled drunkenly, fanning herself with a piece of Evangeline's mail. "Can I have a piece of that elf?" She leaned over, before toppling into Evangeline's lap, causing both of them to laugh hysterically. "He's so perfect. Yummy!"

Evangeline laughed, "You can have the elf, but ooh I'd like a bite of Aragorn." She made a snapping noise with her teeth, biting her lower lip. She fell over on top of Molly, laughing harder than she had been before. Soon, both women were on the floor, in hysterics, due to excessive amounts of alcohol and too much Lord of the Rings.

"Evan? Are you down here?" John called, hearing the shrieks of both women. "Are you two alright?"

Molly sat up, her cheeks bright and flushed from the liquor. "We are perfectly amazing, John." She paused to giggle and hiccup. "You look like a hobbit! Bilbo Baggins!"

Evangeline sat up quickly. "Oh my god." She giggled wildly. "You're Bilbo Baggins! Are you going on a a'venture, Bilbo? Wif Gandalf and the dwarf men?"

"Alright, no more alcohol for either of you."


End file.
